Difficulty: Intermediate
Mexico
Belanova, the electropop band from Mexico, sounds like it was influenced by nightclub epiphanies, Japanese anime and sweet lollipops. "Niño", one of the songs off their album Dulce Beat, is a painful goodbye, adios, au revoir, arrivederci—but it’s somehow lightened by the constant use of the word “boy” (niño) to address the unlucky target of the bad news.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Colombia
After all the bean sorting, cleaning, grinding and toasting we witnessed in our previous segments of Una Historia de Café, it’s finally time to boil up some water and do a little tasting, or “cupping,” as it’s known in laboratory circles. You might want to fire up your percolator; we have a feeling you’ll be craving some caffeine any moment now!
Difficulty: Intermediate
Argentina
Always with a light touch, often with full force, Bersuit Vergarabat dishes out social commentary and political activism. "Madre Hay una Sola" is no exception, as Gustavo Cordera apologizes to Mother Nature for the damage done to her by the human race.
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
Our good friends from México City are willing to talk about everything: good, bad or ugly. Here we have their take on kidnapping, one of the growing fears of Mexicans.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Argentina
This is the final part in Natalia Oreiro’s biography. We have seen family, friends and coworkers talk about her successful professional career and personal life. We’ve felt both jealous and glad when listening to all her achievements. Luckily, Natalia is still working hard to please us!
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Argentina
Majo’s theatrical aspirations seem to have been crushed by reality. Meanwhile Gloria is trying without success to balance intimacy and family.
Difficulty: Beginner
Mexico
Our good Mexican friends know a little about everything and they’re willing to teach us! When you get somewhere, what’s the first thing to do? Here you’ll learn how to greet friends, lovers and even grandmothers!
Difficulty: Intermediate
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican half-brothers Residente (René Pérez Joglar) and Visitante (Eduardo José Cabra Martínez)—nicknamed for their respective roles in their weekly step-family visits to 13th Street—together make Calle 13. The music of Calle 13 is a sort of hip-hop/reggaeton with a sense of humor and playfulness. Watch out for the bleeped naughty words.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Venezuela
Franco de Vita, born in Venezuela to Italian immigrants, is probably Venezuela’s most popular musical export; he’s considered Latin music’s most consistently popular singer-songwriter. At 53 he has 25 years in the limelight to prove it. Mil y Una Historias En Vivo is his newest album.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Mexico
Zoé, an experimental pop-rock quintet from Mexico, brings us this surreal video featuring Japanese teenagers. No Me Destruyas casts a sweet, harmless-looking jovencita as a dangerous villain with colmillos afilados.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Colombia
In Bogotá’s flea market, children help out in their parents’ businesses. We stop at a stall of handcrafted wood figures and chat with the artisan’s daughter.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Argentina
In this Electronic Press Kit (EPK), Bersuit Vergarabat’s members talk about the inspirations for and the process behind many of the songs on their album, Hijos del Culo, while talking a bit about the social commentary that runs strongly throughout their music.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Argentina
Finally, Ivo acts on his threats. He asks his grandmother—the refined Señora Angelica—to fire her maid Milagros. Why? Because Milagros is una cloaca, un desastre and, well, casi salvaje. But Grandma has some of her own ideas cooking…
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Cuba
Orishas is the most famous Cuban band of recent years. They have achieved fame and glory all over Europe and Latin America. Even those who don’t understand their lyrics (sometimes hard enough even for Spanish speakers) can’t seem to keep their hips and shoulders still.
Difficulty: Adv-Intermediate
Cuba, Spain
The Cuban band Orishas went all the way from starving artists to well fed ambassadors of Latin Hip Hop. Let’s listen in as even Spaniards ask for some explanation of the Cuban slang and cultural references found in the song “El Kilo.”
Are you sure you want to delete this comment? You will not be able to recover it.